http://www.smh.com.au/news/Middle-East-Conflict/Hezbollahs-turn-to-flex-its-muscle/2005/03/09/1110316095619.html
Hezbollah's turn to flex its muscle By Ed O'Loughlin, Herald Correspondent in Beirut March 10, 2005 � Syrian troops withdraw towards the Bekaa valley in east Lebanon. Photo: AFP As Syria's regular army began pulling out of Beirut, its local auxiliary force marched in to take its place. Tuesday's protest by up to 200,000 supporters of the pro-Syrian Shiite group Hezbollah was Lebanon's biggest show of force since the February 14 assassination of the former prime minister Rafik Hariri dropped the country into crisis. It dwarfed previous "people power" demonstrations by the anti-Syrian opposition, sending a message to the world and other Lebanese factions that whatever the shape of the future Lebanon, the Shiites - hitherto largely silent - are not going to be left out. Not only was Hezbollah's demonstration bigger than the opposition's, it was more intense. Traditionally less prosperous than their Christian, Druse and Sunni countrymen, the Shiites also tend to be more devout. During the build-up to the rally, groups of young men huddled together, chanting political and religious slogans and working themselves into a kind of trance to the martial music that blared around the square. Reporters were jostled by people desperate to wave posters in their faces of the Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, and the Hezbollah leader, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah. There was little to be seen of Rafik Hariri, whose murder the opposition blames on Syria. AdvertisementAdvertisement Remarkably, the great sea of placards and colours waving over the crowd did not contain a single Hezbollah flag. Like the anti-Syrian demonstrators of the "cedar revolution", the famously disciplined Hezbollah is deliberately wrapping itself in the country's flag, portraying itself as the authentic voice of Lebanon. One of the most popular placards read: "No to foreign interference". When Sheik Nasrallah finally appeared, he accused the world, and especially the US, France and Israel, of meddling in Lebanon's affairs. But his most pointed message was for the rival groups with which, sooner or later - Hezbollah will sit down to play poker. "I ask our partners in the country, or those looking at us from abroad, 'Are all those hundreds of thousands of people puppets? Is all this crowd agents for the Syrians and intelligence agencies?"' he said. "Lebanon is not Ukraine. If anyone thinks you can bring down a state with a few demonstrations, a few scarves, a few shouts, a few media, he is suspect, he is wrong." Hezbollah's show of force swings the political momentum back behind Syria's local proxy president, Emile Lahoud, who will now try to put together a new pro-Damascus cabinet to replace the one that resigned in the face of protests two weeks ago. Witnesses, meanwhile, reported on Tuesday the first movements eastward of Syrian heavy weapons as Damascus, giving in to Western pressure, began pulling its troops out of positions above Beirut. Even if the Shiites can muster more passionate foot soldiers, the other groups control much of the country's wealth. They will have to start talking - unless they start shooting first. In Beirut on recent nights there have been a number of mysterious drive-by shootings - none of them yet fatal - directed at Christians, who tend to dominate opposition rallies. Hezbollah still has well-armed forces at its disposal in the south, but much is at stake should any of the players overplay their hand. Reuters reports: Syria's ambassador to the US, Imad Moustapha, suggested on Tuesday that Syria would complete the withdrawal of its troops from Lebanon before the country holds parliamentary elections in May. ------------------------ Yahoo! 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